Record player assembly



Oct. 2, 1951 I A. TATEIISHI 2,559,587

RECORD PLAYER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 14, 1946 2 sheets sheet 1 In rH/OI Oct. 2, 195 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1946.

A. TATEISHI RECORD PLAYER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECORD PLAYER ASSEMBLY Arthur Tateishi, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application camber 14, 1946, Serial No. 703,157

3 Claims. (01. 312-10) This invention relates to improvements in record players and the principal object of the invention is to provide a neat and attractive appearing unit in which the record playing or reproducer mechanism, the turntable operating mechanism and a supply of records are all housed within a common casing, the top of which when removed as an enclosing cover is placed to operate as a turntable to hold a record and co-operate with the driving mechanism and the reproducer arm.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the novel provision of a platform arranged intermediate of the depth of an annular shell upon which are supported a pivotal reproducer arm, a control switch, amotor for rotating the turntable and a shaft for rotatably mounting the flanged cover of the shell with its flange engaging the motor driven spindle, the annular shell being closed at the bottom by an inverted flanged cover provided with a central spindle to hold a plurality of records.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the player device closed.

Figure 2 is a part elevational and part vertical sectional view of the device taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. a

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the cover placed in position to operate as the record holding turntable, part of the cover being broken away.

Figure 4 is a part vertical section and part elevational view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The device is herein shown comprising an annular body I preferably of cylindrical shape having outwardly offset rim portions 2 and 3 at the top and bottom edge respectively. Fitted into the inner annular seat formed by the offset rim 2 is a circular plat l having an edge flange 5 which extends above the rim 2.

The turntable driving motor 6, which may be of any suitable type, is suspended from the plate 4 approximately in a central position and its driving spindle I and the rubber rimmed turntable driving wheel 8 are arranged above the plate i.

A vertical shaft 9 is rotatably mounted on the plate 4 adjacent to the annular body I and forms the centre pivot on which the turntable for carrying the record to be played is mounted.

The cover [I] which, as shown in Figure 2, closes the top of the annular body I, is formed with a deep flange II terminating in an offset rim l2 preferably of the same outside diameter as the rim 2 of the body I. The rim l2 fits over the upwardly projecting flange 5 and the cover is formed with notches I3 to receive th engaging ends of spring clips [4 secured inside the body I. The cover is preferably formed with a circular central depression I5 and a central orifice [6 adapted to receive the rounded top of the shaft 9 and. a cupped disc I? is secured to the underside of the depressed centre of the cover and is formed with a tapered central orifice l8 to fit over a tapered part of the shaft which forms a bearing support and holds the cover in a rotatable ofiset position as shown in Figures 3 and 4 so that the inner perimeter of the flange II engages in operating contact with the driving'wheel 8.

The side walls of the member I are formed with slots is to allow the cover to seat upon the pivot shaft, the rim of the cover flange ll extending into said slots when in the operating position. The plate 4 is formed with an arc-shaped groove 20 extending between the slots l9.

Mounted on the plate 4 in a suitable position near the wall of the body I is the pivot support 2! of the reproducer arm 22 which is preferably arc-shaped and is provided with a suitable reproducer pick-up member 23 at its free end. This arm is so mounted that it will swing freely over the turntable when it is mounted on the shaft 9 to operate as the record holding turntable.

A control switch 24 is mounted on the plate 4 in a suitable position at one side of the arm 22.

The bottom of the annular body I is closed by a flanged disc 25, the fiange of which fits within the bottom rim 3 and abuts the annular shoulder therein and said disc projects below the rim a short distance and forms a shoulder 26. The body bottom plate may, if desired, be formed as an integral part of the body.

A bottom cap 21 of cupped form is provided with an offset rim 28 which fits over the shoulder 26 and abuts the rim 3 of the body I. This cap forms a storage receptacle for a number of records and is provided with a pin 29 rigidly secured centrally thereof which extends upwardly through a central opening in the bottom disc 25. A conical spira1 spring 30 is shown secured at the base of the pin 29 and forms a resilient support for the records 3| placed over the pin and holds them securely from rattling when the cap is assembled on the body. It will be readily understood that other forms of spring may be used to resiliently support the records.

The pin 29 is here shown provided with an annular groove 32 arranged to be aligned above the bottom plate 25 and a pivotal forked arm 33 mounted on the bottom plate is spring actuated to enter the slot and lock the pin and bottom and records in place.

The device when assembled as shown in Figure 2 forms a very neat, compact and attractive case which may have a suitable carrying handle 34 attached to its perimeter.

When it is desired to operate the player the bottom cap is removed from its holding rim upon releasing the forked arm 33 from looking engagement with the pin 29 and may be placed in a convenient position to allow access to the records stored therein.

The cover It! is then removed from the body rim and placed with its central orifice and bearing disc I! over the shaft 9, the flange thereof being accommodated by the slots I9 in the body I.

Simultaneously with the placingof the cover on the shaft 9, the flange of said cover is brought into operating contact with the rim of the motordriven wheel 8 and thus provides the turntable for holding the records.-

It is then simply necessary ,to connect the switch contacts with'a suitable electric current supply and amplifier or speaker by means of suitable leads and the player is ready to operate.

It will be appreciated that a device such as described may be readily carried about and as the turntable, which forms the cover, is removed from its pivot and from contact with the driving mechanism, such mechanism will not be liable to injury through any accidental-displacement of the turntable or through shocks which might occur through handling.

The parts of the casing structure are of such shape and constructionthat they may be readily formed from sheet metal and-no machining will be required. All-mechanical parts may be readily assembled by insertion through holes stamped in the parts to which they are secured and bolts, nuts and screws will serve the requirements to secure all the mechanism in place.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a portable record player, an annular shell of approximately equal diameter to the largest record to be played, adapted to house instrumentalities for playing a record, a cupped member for supporting a plurality of records mounted on the bottom of said shell, means releasably locking said cupped member to said shell bottom and spring means urging records in said cupped member against said shell bottom to hold same resiliently against vertical movement, said releasable locking means comprising a record-holding pin mounted centrally in said cupped member and extending through the shell bottom and'having an annular groove in the portion extending above the shell bottom, and a locking member pivotally mounted in the bottom of said shell and engaging the groove in said pin, said locking member being releasable from said groove to permit the removal of said cupped member and said spring means urging said records against said shell bottom tending to withdraw said pin through said bottom to maintain pressure on said locking member preventing accidental movement thereof.

2. In a portable record-player, an annular shell of approximately equal diameter. to-a record to be played and having a central'opening in the bottom thereof, a cup shaped member having a central record holding pin to support a plurality of records received on said pin, and formed with an offset. rim portion to receive the bottom of said" shell with said pin projected through said central opening; releasable locking means engaging the portion of said pin projected through said central opening to lock said cupped member to said shell and records received on said pin within said cuppedmember, and spring means urging records received on said pin upwardly against saidshell bottom to resiliently support the records while urging said pin to-withdraw from said opening to maintain pressuretonsaid releasable locking means.

3. The combination with arecord" player including an annular shell, formed withacentral opening in the bottom-thereof, of a cupped mem her for supportingv aplurality of records having a central record holding pin projecting therefrom adapted to enter said central opening, means Within said shell to releasably engage. said pin upon entry into said opening to lockv said cupped shaped member to said. shell bottom, and. spring means mounted within said'cupped'member urging records received on said. pin against said shell bottom.

ARTHUR TA I'EISHI'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,580,037 Hall Apr. 6,1926 1,734,172 Madsen Nov. 5,1929 2,053,108 Rabald Sept. 1, 1936 2,161,148' Erwood- June 6, 1939 2,447,999 Kalfi et al. Aug. 2%,- 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 749,720 France Jan. 30,1933 

